Method for producing glue from bones



April 9, 1946. c. MUELLER METHOD FOR PRODUCING GLUE FROM BONES Filed March 4, 1942 Im lvm INVENTOR. Cam z' [lo Mae [Ier Patentedv Apr. 9, 1946 MTHOD FOR PRODUCIN G GLUE FROM BONES illamillo Mueller, New York, N. Y. Application March 4, 1942, semi Nu. 433,252

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a process for producing glue vfrom bones and has for its object to Drovide a new continuous, improved method by subjecting the bones to a continuous chemical and mechanical treatment automatically during their steady movement through the apparatus.

The most important object of the present invention is to treat continuously small quantities of bones in the time unit and to expose the bone material the least time to the heat influence.

A further important object of the invention is to reduce the manufacturing cost at least 30%, which object may be achieved by carrying out the process automatically with an improved apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is the raise of the glue output for at least 6% of the output achieved with the old methods, that is at least 1% more than the former yield of glue out of the bones, together with a remarkable improvement in the quality of the glue. These objects are achieved in connection with a considerable reduction of time in the entire extraction, diffusion and drying process.

Still another object of the present invention is to reduce the investment for the plane to about one fourth of that hitherto used.

A further object is to provide a method for producing in a highly economic way glue out of bones in connection with industries which deliver bones as byproducts, as slaughter-houses, plants producing canned meat, or the like.

The invention will be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates by way of example one preferred construction for carrying out the method-o1 the invention.

Figure 1 is a partly sectional front view of the entire apparatus.

IFig. 2 shows a special construction of a valve and Fig. 3 shows a variation of a drying device for by a suitable source. Thus, after cleaning the bone material from nails and other parts, it is conveyed to a bone-breaker. The dressing de- Vice provides equal feeding and conveying of the bones over the magnet wheel I'. The front part of the magnet wheel only is magnetic, whereas the back part throws off the iron particles automatically. The bone material which moves over the magnet wheel I', falls down to the separating band 3 and during the transport of the material on the band 3 paper, cardboard, horn, and other materials can be taken out. At the\upper end of the band 3 the bones fall into the bonebreaker 5. Though any convenient bone-breaker can be used, preferably two of them, one after the other, are arranged, in order to assure the breaking-up of the bones into small parts. The broken bones are taken up by an elevator 6 from the breaker 5 into a charger 'I of the extraction device.

The charger I conveys the bones into a sluicechamber -8 on the entrance and exit of which sluices 9 are arranged. The chamber or their sluices 9 are connected with a suction'pump II through a. pipe I0 in order to remove the air from the bones inside of the chamber 8.

The continuously'rotating sluices 9 transport the material into the extraction vessels I2 and I3. The vessel I2 consists of two parts I2 and I22 connected by a wide tube |23. Each of the vessels I2', I 22, and I3 is equipped with a feeding device I4, I5, and I6, respectively, which feeding devices are mounted upon axles I4', I5', and I6 and assure a continuous iiow of the material. The vessels I2', |22 are connected by a sluice I1 with the vessel I3. The bone material is transported from the vessel I3 to a chamber I8 by a sluice I9 arranged at the end of the vessel I3.

A solvent vapor for fatfis provided from a vaporizer 20 for treatment of the slowly moving bone material in the vessels I2 and I3. Preferably in the vessel I2 the solvent Vapor passes in the moving direction of the bone material, whereas in the vessel I3 it passes against the moving direction of the material. In order to achieve the stream of the solvent Vapor in different directions in the respective vessels I2 and I3, a pipe 2| is provided with two branches 22 and 23,

one of which ends in the first vessel I2' at its enl trance side and the other branch 23 ends in the second vessel at its exit side. The vaporizer 20 may have also a pipe 23' connecting said Vaporizer 20 at its bottom with the vessel I3 introducing liquid solvent into the latter. Furthermore on the bottom of the vaporizer 20 a heating coil 24 is arranged in order to vaporize the solvent. Whereas the bone material is transferred to the chamber' I8 the condensed vapors and the solution of grease are taken to the receivers 25' and 252, respectively, by arranging an exit 26 at the bottom of the vessel |22 and an exit 21 at the bottom of the vessel I3. It is possible of course to arrange more than one such exit in each vessel or to adapt additional exits (not shown) for the solvent vapor and steam on the top of the vessels |22 and I3. Both exits 26 and 21 are connected by pipes 28' and 282 with another pipe system 29' and 292 in which valves 38' and 302 are mounted, so that just one of the receivers 25' or 252 are connected with the vessels I2 and I3 at a time. The receivers 25' and 252 are equipped with heating coils 3l1 and 3|,2 and on the top of each of the receivers are arranged exits for pipes 32' and 322 which are equipped with relief-valves 33' and 332 and are is treated in the :chamber I8 with steam to 120 C. and for this purpose a steam pipe 35 is arranged with the chamber I8. By this operation the solvent, as benzene, which still might be in the bones will be vaporized. At the bottom of the chamber I8 another sluice 36 is arranged which transports the bone material through a channel 31 to the polishing cylinder 38.

As said before, the solvent vapor is regenerated and taken by a pipe 34 to the regeneration device. The pipe 34 connects the receivers with a condenser 39 which serves to warm up the solvent back to the vaporizer 20 through the pipe 40. The solvent vapor moves through the continued pipe 34 to another condenser 4I and the solvent condensed in the condenser 39 is moved through the pipe 392 to the container 39.

The top of the chamber I8, is connected with a condenser 42 by a pipe 43. In this pipe 43.

another condenser 393 is arranged which serves to further warm up the solvent moved through the condenser 39 and then moved back to the vaporizer 20 through the pipe 40. The solvent vapor which is condensed in the condenser 392 is moved through the pipe 394 to the container 39. A pipe system 44 connects both condensers 4I and 42 with the separator 45 in which the solvent, as benzene, swims on the water.. There the condensed vapor is collected and the liquid solvent is held there on such la level that the return of it to the vaporizer 2011s assured by gravity. The balance for the solvent pile is achieved by a water pile 46.

. izer 20, whereas that in the condensers 4I and 42 is advantageously water.

Both condensers 4I and 42 are connected with the air space 48 of the separator 45 through pipes 41 and 412 which end into a pipe 41 in order to remove the false air from the said condensers. The air space 48 of the separator 45 is connected with at least one safety cooler 48' in order to condense the last rest of the solvent vapor.

'Ihe grease removed from the bones is collected in the receivers and 252, respectively, and when one of the said receivers is filled up, the fat is pushed out by steam pressure through the pipe 49' and 492, respectively, and through a pipe 49 taken to a container, in which it may be transported. The valves 33' and 332, respectively, are closed automatically, when a predetermined level is achieved in the receivers 25' and 252, respectively, by known means. Special hand valves (not shown) may be adapted in the pipes 32' and 322 connecting said receivers 25' and 252 with the condensers, which hand valves are closed up some time after steaming the content and thus after having vaporized the last parts of the solvent by means of steam.

The bone material is conveyed from the chamber I8 to the polishing cylinder 38. This polishing cylinder 38 serves to lclean the broken, degreased and dried bones from the dirt what seems essential to produce a good, clear glue. 'I'he polishing cylinder 38 consists of a drum 50 which rotates upon an axle 5I. The drum 56 is preferably made vof perforated sheet metal and the perforations 50 of the periphery of the drum 50 are tapered (not shown) vextending outside of the drum 50 in order to assure the exit of the dirt removed of the bone particles. On the inside of the drum a feeding device 52 is arranged to assure the moving of the material to the outlets 55 of the polishing cylinder 38. The bone dust and dirt which falls through the perforations of the drum 50 is conveyed to the outlet 55 by a worm 54 to be iilled up in sacks 56.

The process can be broken up now when merely broken, degreased, dried, and cleaned bones are to be achieved. On the other hand, the process can be started here by using already broken, degreased, dried, and cleaned bones which are exposed immediately to the maceration process. In

the rst case an outlet 553 (dotted lines) is adapted to move out theso treated bones and in the latter case an entrance 552 (dotted lines) is arranged to charge the maceration device.

When the process prescribed before is continued the bone material is *exposed to the maceration process in the bleaching and conserving device 51. The bleaching device 51 consists of two vessels 58 and 582 which are connected by a tube 58. A sluice 51' is arranged at the entrance of the bleaching device 51 and a feeding device 59 and 592, respectively, moves the bone material to the sluice 60 arranged at the outlet of the vessel 582. A special pipe 6I introduces the bleaching means into the vessel 58' and said and the bleaching liquid exit together through.Iv

the sluice 68. The liquid is collected in a container 6I' and from there taken to a discharging hole 62. In order to provide the balance for keeping the level of the liquid a pile of Water 63 is arranged. Above the level of the liquid a pipe 64 provides the connection with the suction pump 65. The suction pump 65 serves to achieve a vacuum in the elevator 66 which conveys the bone material to the glue producing device.

By this method the bleaching means, which still exist in the bone material, are removed and at the same time air and all other gases are removed from the bones and the latter are made ready for the following treatment. The bone material is conveyed by the elevator 66through a sluice 61 to a smaller container 68 and it is treated with water through a pipe 10 before entering said container 66.

In the container 68 the first hydrolysis takes place by treatment of the bones with steam through a pipe 69. In this way the bone material is hydrolyzed and is now solvable in hot water. A feeding device 10 moves the bone material from the container 68 through the sluice 1I to the degluing device 12. l

The degluing device 12 consists of a number of clines from -of the respective progressively smaller containers 13', 133, 133, 134, 135, and 136, which number will depend upon the degree of the glue solution to be achieved. The diminution of the volume of the said containers is adapted to the shrinking of the bone material by the extraction process. The whole unit 12 of containers is under pressure, which pressure dethe last to the first container and hot water, serving as extracting liquid, moves in countercurrent to the movement of the bone material, from the last container 13 to the rst container 13'. A steam pipe 14 introduces steam through branch pipes 14', 143, 143, 144, 145, and 14 which enter into the said containers above the liquid leveldiminishing its pressure from the last container' to 136 up to the first container13' by proper means and is also adapted to the height container in order to assure the continuous stream of the liquid from the last container 136 to its associated container 135 through the pipe 815, from the container 135 to container 134 through the pipe 814, and so forth, until the liquid flows under, pressure continuously from container 132 to container13' through pipe 81. The glue solution moves then through the pipe 88 from container 13' to the evaporator 89. The balance in the pressure from the last container 136 to the `first container 13 is supported by the vacuum prevailing-in the evaporator 88, whereby all containers may be exposedito a vacuum and the ilrst container 13 gree than that of the last container 136. Ihus the whole extraction process can be performed without any damage to the bone material.

As stated before, hot water is introduced into the last container 13 from a vessel 15 with a heating coil 18 by means of a pump 11. Each one of the containers is only partly filled with liquid, though entirely filled with crashed bone particles and thus contains a gas Space and a liquid space. The bone material moves continuously from the first container 13' through all associated containers 132, 133, 134, 135, until it reaches 136 and is then moved to the desiccator Thus the bone material is forced to move first into the gas space of the first container 13', exposed there to steam hydrolysis until it reaches the liquid space of'container 13'. A valve device moves the bone material into the next associated container 132 and reaches the gasrspace of the latter first, to enter the liquid space (diffusion space) of the same container 13 later. process continues through all containers until the bone material moves through gas space and liquid space of the container 133. 'I'he bone ma- .terial is thus rexposed to the hydrolysis process changing to the extraction process in each container.

Each container is connected with its associated container through a valve 18.', 182, 183, 184 and 185, respectively. The valves have such a conruction that the bone material is moved from one container to its associated container. Any glue solution which is removed from that container together with the bones is returned to that container by means of steam pressure.

It can be learned from Fig. 2 that the valves 18', 182, 183, 184, and 185 are constructed with a hollow part 19 and are equipped with an axial boring' 80 ending into that hollow part 18. A steam pipe 8| with a valve 8|', opened and closed by a cam (not shown) is connected with the bor-V ing 80 and besides the valve chamber is connected with a pipe 82 ending into the same container to a vacuum of higher deall the glue, is moved into vacuum evaporator 88 consisting from which the bone material and the liquid has been removed. The valves rotate constantly and when the hollow part 18 is open to the upper container, bone material and liquid will enter. Upon continuous rotation of that valve counterclockwise the opening of the hollow part 18 will come across the open end of the pipe 82. At the same moment the valve 8|' is automatically opened and steam pressure introduced into the space 18. Branches 8|', 8|3, 8|3, 8|, llls are arranged from the pipes 14', 143, 143, 144, and 145, respectively which feed the respective valves. The pipes 82', 822, 323, 824, and 825 guide back into the containers from which the liquid has been removed and end near the top of the container above the liquid level. After removing the 18 o1' the valve the bone material alone remains and upon further rotation of the valve that material will be deliv eredito the next lower container.

The. so treated material, after having removed a desiccator 83, in which the heating gases from the boiler may be used as heating source. A blower 84 is used in usual manner and the desiccator 83 is arranged in oblique position in order to move the terial through a sluice 84',

desiccator 83, into a mill 85. After passing the mi1l'85 the bone material is filled up in sacks 88 and can be used as fertilizer or The about 15% through a pipe 81 the like. y solution of glue is passed with a throttle-valve t88 to a order to concentrate the glue 50%.

solution to about The so concentrated glue solution is transported to the bleaching containers.

producing device (Fig. 3), or some similar device.

parts o1' the latter are taken out by turning the drum |05. The vaporizing water is removed through the exit |08.- After making one turn the glue is removed from the drum |05 by a knife dry mawhich closes up the- |09 and the glue is moved in through a sluice IM' into sacks I I I and is then 1 ready for the market.

f particularly for bone material.

the shape of flakes The herein described apparatus is designed a method of producing of glue from bones in a ing the bones by means of a conveyor into the apparatus yand receiving the glue and all other by-products without needing any service.

The first step in treating the bones, after breakl ing them, is the degreasing process. This is l achieved automaticallyl by moving the bones through preferably at least two vessels l2, I3,

1 whereby vapors of a solvent. as benzene, are inc l troduced into the first vessel I2 or the second vessel I3 in the moving direction of the bone ma- I 1 terial, whereas the solvent moves in the other vessel in counter-current to the movement of the It is Aalso quite possible to use just one vessel in. which the vapor moves either against or in the direction ofthe movement of the j broken bones though the countermovement ofv full automatic way by introducthe vapor is preferred. After subjecting the bones e to vapor in order to drive out the last rest of the grease,-which still might be in the bones, they are exposed to a mechanical cleaning process by means of a polishing device 38, the degreased bone material being moved through the polishing device 38.

After finishing ess, the broken, degreased and cleaned bones are exposed to a bleaching process by moving them through a bleaching device l1 in which the bones are treated with bleaching and conserving means as sulfurous acid. of hydrogen peroxide, or peroxyd of manganese.

bleaching means. Now the bones are steamed after being treated with Water and thus exposed to the first hydrolysis process.

Thereafter the bones are exposed tothe degluing process. The degluing of the material is achieved by exposing it alternately to the hy` drolyzing vand to the diiusion process. For this purpose the bone material moves through a number of containers whereas hot water is moved in countercurrent from the last to the rst container. In 4the gas space provided for in each of the vcontainers the hydrolysis process takes place by introducing steam. The degluing proc-` ess is completed when in the last container no more glue is removed from the bone material.

Since the degluing device delivers a solution of about 15% glue it is necessary to concentrate- Having thus nished the chemical process, thethe mechanical cleaning proc-lv Afterwards the bones are` subjected to a vacuum in order to remove all glue has to be dried and shaped to pearls, naires or the like and then is ready for use.

By means of the present invention the period of the entire glue making process is considerably shortened and by working full automatically and continuously small quantities in a time unit a considerable saving in working material and in wages is achieved.

The new process canbe carried out for example in the following manner: y

In a time unit 400 weight parts of bonesand 1500 weight parts of benzene for the degreasing process, 4 weight parts of sulfurous acid for the bleaching process of the bones and 4 weight parts of sulfurous acid for the bleachingprocess of the gluesolution are introduced into the apparatus .and after drying of' the glue solution about 60 weight parts of glue is achieved.

I have thus described specifically and .in detail the method and apparatus embodying the features of my invention as example only in order that the manner of constructing, applying, op-

erating and using the invention may be fully uni derstood, however the specific terms are used ,des

scriptively rather than in a'limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined by the claims.

What I claimy as new and desire to secure by Letters Patents is:

1. A process of producing glue from bone material, comprising the steps of passing the said bone material in small quantities through each one of aplurality of containers connected in one series, subjecting said bone material during its passage through* each one of said containers in the series to the action of a glue extraction liquid flowing in a steady stream, passing the glue extraction liquid from one container in the series to the next in a direction counter tothe direction of movement of the bone material, removing the said bone material from each of said containers to the next adjacent container in small quantities during the action of the glue extraction liquid and iinally from the last container'in the series containing the bone material from which the greatest amount of glue has been extracted.

2. A process of producing glue from bone material, comprising the steps of passing vthe said bone material in small quantities through each one of a plurality of containers connected-in one' series, subjecting the said bone materialr during its passage through said containers intermittent-v ly to the action of a. hydrolysis fluid and a glue extraction liquid flowing in a steady stream; passing the glue extraction liquid from one container in the series to the next in a direction counter to the direction of movement of the bone material from one container to the next, whereby the container at one end of the series contains the bone material from which the greatest amount of glue has been extracted, while the extraction liquid in said container contains the lowest concentration of glue, and removing in small quantities said bone material from lthe said last mentioned container.

- CAMILLO MUELLER. 

